Wareham Channel and Poole Harbour Cruise - Bird Boat

Poole Harbour in winter is spectacular, inspirational and without doubt, one of the most important areas in southern Britain for thousands of over-wintering waders and waterfowl. Following the success of our new PUBLIC BIRD BOAT TOURS last year we have decided to offer 4 trips this winter to bring you closer to some of the harbour’s well-known and not so well known winter residents.

Our four tours will guide you around this nationally and internationally important habitat, which during the winter months can host up to 20,000 birds. From big congregations of waders on the Brownsea Lagoon to gatherings of open water species, your guide will talk you through how to identify the species we’re looking at, how to find birds elsewhere in the harbour, talk about their behaviour and history in the harbour, and all from the comfort of a large Brownsea Island Ferry. Here at Birds of Poole Harbour we pride ourselves on monitoring the harbour’s bird life right the way through the year, gathering important and exciting information that we can then pass onto the public through our people engagement projects.

The remote and under-watched areas of the Wareham Channel provide excellent birding opportunities during the winter, especially for birds of prey, as Marsh and Hen Harrier, Peregrine Falcon and Merlin all take advantage of the abundance prey that Poole Harbour attracts during the winter. This new three and a half hour tour will see us creep up the River Frome, scouring flood plains and reedbeds for spectacular raptors and a whole range of winter visitors ranging from Wigeon, Teal, Lapwing, Shoveler and Pintail. After we’ve given this area a good look we’ll then tour a part of the harbour and finish by checking out the Brownsea Lagoon to see many of Poole Harbours over-wintering waders.